Saturday, February 28, 2015

Video Game Description: Discover history’s darkest secret in The Order: 1886, the game that re-writes history by introducing a unique vision of Victorian-Era London, where Man uses advanced technology to battle a powerful and ancient foe. In an alternate history where myths and technology co-exist, players take on the role of Sir Galahad, a hardened member of an elite order of Knights engaging in a centuries-old war that will determine the course of history forever.

Hundreds of years before the game’s version of 1886, humanity de-evolves and a subset of humans becomes the genetically different “Half-breeds.” War eventually breaks out between humans and Half-breeds for power and survival, and in order to combat these fierce enemies, a brotherhood was formed through the Knights of the Round Table – an alliance called The Order. The Knights of The Order have waged wars across centuries and sworn to defend humanity while protecting the secrets of this dark history. Strengthened by a mysterious liquid called Blackwater, the Knights of The Order are able to heal their wounds and extend their lifespans in order to engage this supernatural foe.

Through the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, The Order is now equipped with powerful weapons to turn the tide against the Half-breeds, but must also face a new threat. A rebellion emerges and the Rebels’ ranks are growing, as is their boldness, as they declare an all-out war against The Order and the government oppression it represents. Now, the Knights of The Order must face threats on all sides as they struggle to maintain peace and order.

Here are the official trailers and posters for the action drama "'71". Directed by Yann Demange, the film is based on a true story and it stars Jack O'Connell ("Unbroken") as a young British soldier who is accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of Belfast in 1971. In this disorientating, alien and deadly landscape, the young soldier must survive the night alone and find his way to safety. The film was nominated for two BAFTA awards, Best British Film and Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer, and it is currently rated 98% fresh on Rottentomatoes.com. This is a must-see movie.

David Cronenberg's "Maps to the Stars" is getting a limited release in theaters today. To mark the occasion, Focus Features has released a new red band trailer and five clips. The film stars Mia Wasikowska, John Cusack, Julianne Moore, Robert Pattinson, Olivia Williams and Sarah Gadon. Julianne Moore won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival and was also nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in this film.

David Gelb's horror film "The Lazarus Effect" opens today in theaters and we have four new clips from the film. Produced by Jason Blum ("Paranormal Activity", "The Purge"), the film stars Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass, Donald Glover, Evan Peters and Sarah Bolger. The reviews aren't great, with many critics pointing out that while the idea is solid and the cast is talented, the film wastes them on cliches and bad storytelling.

The "Alien" franchise is getting a lot of attention lately thanks to "District 9" director Neill Blomkamp. Blomkamp posted some interesting concept art on New Year’s Day that he described to be artwork for an "Alien" movie that he was no longer working on, although at the time he wasn't officially attached to any project from that franchise. What was intriguing about the concept art was that it featured Sigourney Weaver and Michael Biehn in what looked like a direct sequel to the second film in the series, "Aliens".

Not long after that it was revealed that Blomkamp will indeed direct a new installment in the "Alien" franchise and it will be his next project. According to Variety, the film will be produced by Ridley Scott and will take place after the events of the upcoming "Prometheus 2". Whether or not the concept art was Blomkamp's pitch to 20th Century Fox is unknown at this point, but it seems likely, and the encouraging online response to those images probably helped the director convince the studio.

Neill Blomkamp recently offered some explanations about the new movie:

"I want this film to feel like it is literally the genetic sibling of Aliens, so it’s Alien, Aliens, this movie. It’s a Freudian kind of nightmare. That element to me is what is so appealing, to try to put the audience on the edge of their seat the whole time in a traditional ‘monster stalking you/dark corridor’ way. And then when you mix in the life cycle and the design elements of the Alien, it’s just a powder-keg of creativity to me."

This statement immediately fueled an online frenzy that Blomkamp intends to ignore "Alien 3" and "Alien: Resurrection" and tie in directly to the first two films. However, Blomkamp somewhat softened his approach in a later interview :

"My favorites are the first two movies. So I want to make a film that’s connected to Alien and Aliens. That’s my goal. I’m not trying to undo Alien 3 or Alien: Resurrection, I just want it to be connected to Alien and Aliens."

Sigourney Weaver already seems to be on board for the sequel and is eager to give fans a real ending to Ripley's story:

"I always wanted to complete this story and it wasn’t really until Neill and I started talking that I said, ‘this is why we waited however many years its been."

I'm sure updates will keep pouring in like crazy from now on, so stay tuned for more. Until then, check out Neill Blomkamp's concept art images for the "Alien" sequel after the jump.

A few days ago, Adi Shankar, known for his bootleg one-shots "The Punisher: Dirty Laundry" and "Venom: Truth in Journalism", released an awesome "Power Rangers" inspired short on YouTube. The bootleg featured the familiar characters from the 1990s TV show in a darker post-apocalyptic context and it picked up more than 6 million YouTube views in less than two days. The problem is that the original series' producer Haim Saban wanted the clip taken down and eventually succeeded. A curious move, considering that fan fiction is always a welcome addition to any franchise and only helps bring attention to the property in question. But, since there is a "Power Rangers" movie being developed by Lionsgate for a 2016 release, perhaps it was a move meant to prevent false expectations.

But, don't worry. If you haven't seen the bootleg on YouTube, you get a second chance because Adi Shankar posted the video on his Facebook account and you can watch it below. You can also read Shankar's statement regarding this whole affair. The "Power/Rangers Bootleg Universe One-Shot" is directed by Joseph Kahn ("Torque") and it stars Katee Sackhoff and James Van Der Beek.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

The first trailers, teasers and a poster for the third season of Netflix's "House of Cards" have been released online. The show continues the saga of Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and his wife Claire's (Robin Wright) quest for power and the new season finds the two settling into life at the White House. There also seems to be significant tension building between the two in these new episodes. The show is produced by David Fincher, Joshua Donen, Beau Willimon, Kevin Spacey, Dana Brunetti, John David Coles and Eric Roth.

"House of Cards" Season 3 will debut all of its 13 episodes on February 27th on Netflix.

After showing off some real singing range while performing a "Sound of Music" tribute at the Oscars, Lady Gaga is giving acting a shot as well. The singer is set to star in the fifth season of "American Horror Story" which will be subtitled "Hotel". The announcement of both Gaga's involvement and the show's new theme came via a really cool Twitter video mimicking the series' visual style. The hotel location brings to mind some of the haunted house elements of the first season, which was also the series' best in terms of narrative, although my favorite is still Asylum. "American Horror Story: Hotel" is set to debut in October. Check out the video below:

Video Game Description: Legend foretold it. Prophecies predicted it. Chosen ones chose to believe in it. Now the adventure saga continues. A sequel is coming. Join Wilbur, Ivo, Nate and Critter in another classic point-and-click adventure in the wicked world of Aventásia. Help them fulfill their destiny. A destiny as yet unwritten. A few years have passed since our heroes heroically defeated the arch-witch Mortroga. And their lives, like the lives of most people in Aventásia, are still in turmoil. The War of the Two Towers is over, but the wounds it left upon the land are still bleeding. The gnome Wilbur Weathervane is struggling with his new job as a teacher at the reopened School for Wizardry and Witchcraft. His magic wand is having a mind of its own and an assassination plot against the arch-mage overshadows the first democratic elections in Seastone. Faced with political intrigues that threaten the delicate balance of peace, Wilbur is in dire need of his old friends. But the elf princess Ivo and the adventurer Nate have, after a brief romantic interlude, gone their separate ways. Ivo has returned to her gilded cage in the elf kingdom, overprotected by her controlling mother. Nate along with his trusty companion Critter has been taken prisoner on the flying island of his arch-enemy the Red Pirate. But fate does not rest. A darkness has fallen upon the land, or rather, a pinkness. A magic force is turning mighty beasts into fluffy plush puppies and towering castles into oversized dollhouses. Every world needs its heroes. However unlikely they may seem.

The 40th edition of the César Awards announced its winners and two of them made history. Abderrahmane Sissako became the first African filmmaker to win top honors for his film "Timbuktu", which was also an Academy Award contender for Best Foreign Language Film. "Timbuktu" won seven awards, including Best Movie, Director and Screenplay. Another winner that made history was Kristen Stewart who took home the Best Supporting Actress award for her performance in Olivier Assayas' "Clouds of Sils Maria", becoming the first American actress to win a Cesar. The foreign film trophy went to Cannes Jury Prize winner "Mommy". Also, Sean Penn received this year’s Honorary César.

Two new trailers and three character posters have been released for director Pierre Morel's "The Gunman". Morel is famous for directing Liam Neeson in "Taken" and now he appears determined to turn Sean Penn into an international action star through the same trademark formula. Penn stars as a former special forces soldier turned mercenary who must confront his former bosses when he decides to quit his job. The film also stars Javier Bardem, Idris Elba, Ray Winstone, Jasmine Trinca and Mark Rylance. And, yes, it looks like someone will get taken.

The 87th Academy Awards have ended. Neil Patrick Harris was arguably the worst part of the awards show, mostly because of a batch of bad jokes that made him clearly uncomfortable and somewhat unlikeable as the host. I honestly expected a bit more energy in his routine, but it all felt incredibly flat after a relatively short and dull opening musical moment.

The awards themselves were offered to the usual suspects. "Birdman" picked up 4 Oscars, including Best Picture, Director and Original Screenplay, and "The Grand Budapest Hotel" also took home four awards for the more technical categories like Costumes, Art Direction and Score. Julianne Moore, Eddie Redmayne, Patricia Arquette and J.K. Simmons nabbed Oscars for their amazing performances, while "Selma", "Interstellar", "American Sniper" and "The Imitation Game" each took home one award. In the animated feature category Disney won for a second consecutive year with "Big Hero 6" and Poland's "Ida" won Best Foreign Language Film.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

For a second consecutive week "Fifty Shades of Grey" ranks at the top of the weekend box-office, but the film has registered a heavy blow in the U.S. The film lost a massive 73% in domestic ticket sales compared to last weekend. Still, the overseas gross has now reached $280 million and by adding the domestic numbers, it adds up to over $400 million worldwide, which is obviously a great result for the $40 million project. Last week's "Kingsman: The Secret Service" is still in second place with a 51% drop ($17.5 million) and "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water" held its ground in third place with a 50% drop ($15.5 million).

This week's wide releases didn't fare too well. The comedy sequel "Hot Tub Time Machine 2" made a weak $5.8 million debut and ranked seventh, Disney's sports drama "McFarland, USA" starring Kevin Costner opened with $11.3 million in fourth place, and the high-school comedy "The DUFF" followed closely in fifth place with $11 million.

This post contains all the news, trailers, movie clips, DVD/Blu-Ray releases and many more, that you may have missed in the last seven days, arranged in an accessible manner. Just browse and click the article titles you want to read. Read the full article to check out the weekly summary.

Today we have a trailer, clip and seven posters for the Argentinian anthology film "Wild Tales" which is nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award this year. Produced by Agustín Almodóvar and Pedro Almodóvar, and directed by Damián Szifron, the film is a collection of six stories about people dealing with inequality, injustice and the demands of the world we live in. A lover's betrayal, a return to the repressed past and the violence woven into everyday encounters drive the characters to madness as they cede to the undeniable pleasure of losing control. The film stars Erica Rivas, Liliana Ackerman, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Luis Manuel Altamirano García, Darío Grandinetti, Alejandro Angelini, Cristina Blanco and Camila Sofía Casas.

Disney's true story sports drama "McFarland, USA" opens today in theaters and we have six new clips for the movie. Niki Caro ("North Country") directs the film which now officially has the best reviews of the week. Critics have commented that while the film bears the usual genre tropes, it manages to somehow rise above them thanks to solid direction and a great cast. The film stars Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, Morgan Saylor, Martha Higareda, Michael Aguero, Sergio Avelar, Hector Duran, Rafael Martinez, Johnny Ortiz, Vanessa Martinez and Chris Ellis.

Seven new clips have been released for "The DUFF". The high-school comedy opens today in theaters and there are some pretty good early reviews. The critical reception is mostly mixed, but definitely better than a lot of other movies in this genre. The film stars Mae Whitman, Robbie Amell, Bella Thorne, Bianca Santos, Skyler Samuels, Nick Eversman, Allison Janney, Romany Malco and Ken Jeong also star.

"Hot Tub Time Machine 2" opens today in theaters, so we offer 8 new clips from the comedy. The sequel is being hit pretty hard by critics right now who are calling it an unnecessary sequel that features the same kind of raunchy over-the-top humor but offers nothing new compared to the first film. John Cusack's presence is sorely missed among all the offensive jokes and a poorly used Adam Scott can't make up for that. The film stars Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Gillian Jacobs, Chevy Chase, Jason Jones, Kumail Nanjiani, Gretchen Koerner and Collette Wolfe.

Video Game Description: Dead or Alive 5: Last Round brings the definitive DOA 5 package to new-gen consoles. This fluid fighter marries its signature fighting style with MMA fighting techniques to deliver a major kick for players new and old. Visually striking scenes from around the world blended with a hard-hitting cast puts players in the roles of the cast of Dead or Alive fighters once again. In DoA 5, stages act not only as visual backdrops to accompany a fight but instead play to a fighter’s strengths. As a fight progresses, the backdrop will change and interact with players. Skilled fighters will be able to utilize these dynamic stages to execute hard hitting blows, pitting their opponents against new obstacles creating a unique experience that will leave you breathless.

With each battle executing a new level of involvedness, the fighters themselves have become more complex in their design. In Dead or Alive 5 players will be able to feel more involved in the action as they see their fighters sweat as they exert more energy. Players can also kick up the competition in online multiplayer modes where fighters must learn to utilize their strength and weaknesses to K.O. challengers.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

The first trailer for the romantic comedy "Aloha" has been released. The film is written and directed by Cameron Crowe ("Jerry Maguire") and it stars Bradley Cooper as a celebrated military contractor who returns to the US Space program in Honolulu, Hawaii where he reconnects with a long-ago love (Rachel McAdams) and unexpectedly falls for a hard-charging Air Force watchdog (Emma Stone) assigned to him. Looks like average rom-com territory all the way, but since Crowe is handling the project, it could turn out all right. Bill Murray, John Krasinski, Danny McBride and Alec Baldwin also star.

A batch of 19 new images have been released for the final season of AMC's "Mad Men". The images feature the series' cast members Jon Hamm, Christina Hendricks, January Jones, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser, Jessica Paré and Kiernan Shipka. The second half of Season 7 will start airing on AMC on April 5th.

The casting process for the "Deadpool" movie is still underway and today THR reports that Morena Baccarin ("Homeland") has been cast as the female lead opposite Ryan Reynolds' protagonist. Baccarin will play a woman who "grapples with falling for a man with a hideously scarred face." That scarred individual is Reynolds' character, the merc with a mouth, who in this movie is portrayed as an assassin who undergoes an experimental procedure meant to cure cancer which leaves him twisted, scarred, but also endowed with superpowers. The film's cast also includes Gina Carano and T.J. Miller. "Deadpool" is directed by Tim Miller and is scheduled for release on February 12, 2016.

Video Game Description: The Dark Ages approach. A time of famine, disease and war, where refugees in their thousands flee from a sweeping tide of destruction and death. Desperate barbaric tribes rally against the ailing might of a dying and divided Roman empire; the light of civilization gutters and dims. In the great steppes of Scythia, a vast and terrifying force gathers, led by a warrior king whose thirst for conquest is utterly unequalled. Total War: Attila introduces new gameplay mechanics which improve and add to numerous core turn-based and real-time Total War systems. The world will darken around you as Attila’s forces descend on your homeland creating a unique vision of survival strategy.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

The first trailer and 4 posters have been released for the horror drama "Backcountry". Based on a true story, the film follows an urban couple who go camping in the Canadian wilderness and find themselves lost in the territory of a predatory black bear. Written and directed by Adam MacDonald, the film stars Missy Peregrym, Jeff Roop and Eric Balfour.

A batch of 23 new images have been released for the comedy sequel "Hot Tub Time Machine 2". The film is directed by Steve Pink from a script by Josh Heald and it stars Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Adam Scott, Gillian Jacobs, Chevy Chase, Jason Jones, Kumail Nanjiani, Gretchen Koerner and Collette Wolfe.

With production on the new "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie already underway in Queesnland, Australia, Disney decided to officially reveal the film's title and synopsis. The title is "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales", which isn't really a big surprise, since the name surfaced as a rumor last year. The synopsis, however, is quite interesting:

"Thrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Captain Jack Sparrow finds the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when deadly ghost pirates led by his old nemesis, the terrifying Captain Salazar (Bardem), escape from the Devil’s Triangle, determined to kill every pirate at sea…including him. Captain Jack’s only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact that bestows upon its possessor total control over the seas."

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Four new teasers and a clip have been released for the third season of "Orphan Black". The new season plunges the clone sisterhood into unexpected territory with the realization that they’re not alone. Just when they thought they knew their enemies and allies, season three reveals our clones are more vulnerable than ever before. Highly trained, identical male-soldiers raise more questions than answers. The series features Tatiana Maslany, Ari Millen and Justin Chatwin.

The first trailer and poster for the video game adaptation "Hitman: Agent 47" have been released. The film stars Rupert Friend ("Homeland") as a genetically engineered elite assassin who wages war against a mega-corporation that plans to unlock the secret of Agent 47's past to create an army of killers. Zachary Quinto, Hannah Ware, Thomas Kretschmann and Ciaran Hinds and Alex Young co-star.

I've actually played the games that inspired this movie, and I think this will anger fans somewhat. The games were all about stealth, patience and trying to complete the objectives as quietly and cleanly as possible, but the movie seems to care more about creating absurdly explosive set pieces that defy everything from physics to common sense. I believe that was exactly the reason why the first movie failed and required this reboot, which seems doomed to repeat the same mistakes. And the CGI looks really horrible. Instead of overreaching on a modest budget, they should have just kept the action simple, but smart. Just look how well "John Wick" turned out on a $20 million budget.

The long-awaited "Deadpool" movie is beginning to build momentum in its pre-production phase. Ryan Reynolds is set to star as the merc with a mouth and it has now been announced that he will be joined by "Fast & Furious 6" and "Haywire" actress Gina Carano. The former MMA fighter will play Angel Dust, a character who in the comics was part of the underground mutant group known as the Morlocks.

Carano is also involved in the Bruce Willis starrer "Extraction", the "Kickboxer" remake and an untitled all-female version of "The Expendables". She recently completed work on the thriller "Bus 657" which also stars Dave Bautista, Robert De Niro, Kate Bosworth and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

"Deadpool" will be an origin story and Reynolds's character will start out as an assassin dying of cancer who undergoes a procedure that is supposed to cure him, but instead leaves him twisted and scarred, though also endowed with super-powers. There will also be some X-Men cameos, including Colossus. T.J. Miller ("Silicon Valley") is also set to star in a supporting role.

Monday, February 16, 2015

A new trailer and poster have been released for "The Water Diviner" to announce the film's release in the U.S. Russell Crowe directs and stars as a father who travels to turkey after the Battle of Gallipoli in 1919 to search for his three missing sons. Olga Kurylenko, Jai Courtney, Isabel Lucas, Cem Yilmaz, Jacqueline McKenzie and Ryan Corr co-star. The film has won three awards at the Australian Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

A new international trailer has been released for the romantic caper "Focus". The film stars Will Smith as a veteran con artist and Margot Robbie as his protégé. The two become romantically involved but break up, which complicates matters three years later in the middle of a dangerous new scheme. Glenn Ficarra and John Requa wrote and directed the film. Rodrigo Santoro, BD Wong, Robert Taylor and Gerald McRaney co-star.

The first trailer and poster for "Crimson Peak" have been released by Universal and Legendary Pictures. The film is co-written and directed by Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth") and it stars Mia Wasikowska as an aspiring author who is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider, in the aftermath of a family tragedy. And this whole psychological drama unfolds within a house that "breathes, bleeds and remembers". Yup, sounds like the perfect del Toro movie. Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston, Charlie Hunnam, Doug Jones and Jim Beaver co-star.

The winners of the 2015 Writers Guild of America awards have been announed. "The Grand Budapest Hotel" won Best Original Screenplay and "The Imitation Game" took home the award for Best Adapted Screenplay. If you're wondering what happened to Guild-favorite "Birdman", the movie was ineligible for a WGA nomination. It is however nominated for the Original Screenplay Oscar. In the television categories, "True Detective" and "Louie" won for Best Drama Series and Best Comedy Series, respectively.